More, more, more!

The "Smushies" have arrived!  What is a "smushie", usually it is a tone on tone, a background, a zinger for all your fabulous prints....that's a "smushie"!!!  These fabulous fabrics are Michael Miller Krystal and hard to resist at 30% off!!!!  That red and orange are to die for!

As you all know, I love it when my customers come in and share their fabulous creations.  Marlane brought her "Cabin In The Woods" quilt in today and found the perfect backing (at 30% off) but also allowed me to take a picture of her and friend Pat holding it up.

"Cabin In The Woods"

From the book - Welcome to My Cabin

by Nancy Smith and Lynda Milligan

Possibilities

I also love September!  It's the time of year when quilters come back to the store for our evening Sit & Sew's.  Tonight was no exception.  There were eight of us spread out along the tables and everyone worked diligently on their various projects.  Dinner was Beef Stew with Crusty Bread and a mixed Salad, dessert was Caramel Apple Cheescake and Caramel Chocolate Pecan cheesecake.  I'm exhausted but it's that "good" exhaustion you feel after a day well spent.  I was right this morning when I posted on facebook - It's a beautiful day!  It truly was!

The dishes are in the dishwasher and the kitchen has been tidied.  Just waiting for the day to be over and Liz to drop me off at home where I can unwind a bit before bed! 

Happy Quilting!

Jo-Ann

Yes! I know!

I have definitely been off the grid for quite awhile.  It's been a very busy and eventful Summer and I am now looking forward to the store move (more to come as plans progress)!  On that note I received a few fabulous bolts of fabric on Monday which are now priced and on the floor waiting for you to come and fondle - at 30% off - how can you resist!

From white all the way to black and I just received another box this morning with a bunch of "smushies"!!!!  What are "smushies", they are those gorgeous tone on tones you always seem to need to complete your stash.  These are colours that I myself am tempted to grab metres and metres of because I know they'll get used.....I will post a pic as soon as I have them marked and ready for you - again at 30% off, how can you resist....

If you've been keeping up with the e-mails, you know we will soon be on the move and there will be loads of new and exciting things happening at the "Doodle".  Right now I really have to concentrate on our Newsletter so I promise to post again soon but in the meantime I will mention that coming up are the following events......

        1) Friday September 21st - Sit and Sew - 6:00 P.M. - 12:00 A.M.
                                               (Dinner included - $15.00 + tax)
        2) Wednesday September 26th - Closed - Yom Kippur
              (It's the one holiday I always close for)
        3) Friday September 28th - Don't Bring Your Machine or Apple Cake Club
                                                 6:00 P.M. - 11:00 P.M.      (Applique)
                                                (Dinner included - $15.00 + tax)
...and in case I don't get the newsletter out this week!

        4) Saturday September 29th - Jiffy Bag with Carolyn  10:30 A.M. -                 1:30  P.M.
        5) Saturday September 29th - Hanging Gardens with Carolyn
                                                   2:00 P.M. - 5:00 P.M.

and remember, you can use your Gift Certificates for classes too!!!!

In the meantime, I am going through a very long list of things to do so I will wish you all -

Happy Quilting!

Jo-Ann

Quilts At The Creek!

We are looking forward to participating in the first Quilts At The Creek show this weekend.  Check out the link to see who's going to be there and what it's all about - www.blackcreek.ca/events/ .

We are packing up to go to the show this week and hope to see you all there. The store will be closed Saturday July 28th and Sunday July 29th and we will be closing early Friday July 27th to go and set up.  Since I can't be in two places at once we invite you to visit our booth at the show.

We are also getting ready for our Fall Newsletter and hope to have it out shortly.  If there are any particular class offerings you would like to see, please e-mail us at cockadoodlequilts@bellnet.ca with your requests soon so we can include them in our fall line-up.

In the meantime.....

Happy Quilting!



Jo-Ann

What we create!

I love Carolyn's classes!  I love Carolyn's work!  She is so creative and truly brings out the best in her students.....

Being summer it's hard to schedule classes but we managed to get three sign-ups for Saturday's class with Carolyn - Bedazzled Daisy.  I managed to sit in for a good portion of this class and watched as the girls created masterpiece after masterpiece and they had so much fun doing it too!

Paula's flower came out stunning!

 Rita's is coming along beautifully.....

 Pat's is also looking amazing!

 Here are all three on the design board....

 Rita's after being cut out and ready to go on the background she chose!

 Paula's cut out and ready for her background....

...and Pat's still on the base fabric but soon to be cut out too!

What can I say but WOW!  We will definitely be running this class in the fall along with another STUNNER which Carolyn gave us a sneak peak of! 

Coming up this weekend is one of our In Store Retreats - you can come for a day or for all four days - there are still a few spaces available.  Also next week begins the Beginner Sampler - three sign ups already so if you like this quilt - it would be a good time to sign up.

Also in July - Jacob's Ladder and Sock It To Me! - a few spaces left there too....

Off to do some laundry and work on my 9 Patch Exchange blocks - which are going great and it's so cool to get the blocks back at the end of each month and see what everyone has made.....

Happy Quilting!

Jo-Ann

...and again!!!

...time flew while I was busy doing something else I guess!  I also appear to have left the camera at home so the only picture is Bedazzled Daisy which is really a reminder that the class is on Saturday and we have a couple of spaces available.......

This is Carolyn's newest class offering and it's going to be great fun doing it.  Come spend the day with us, lunch is, as always, included and you don't even need to lug your machine......

Before I forget (and just in case time gets away from me again) our In Store Retreat starts on June 28th - Jul 1st.  You don't have to come for the whole 4 days - you can sign up for 1, 2, 3 or all 4 days.....but if there's a project you need to get done we can motivate you, assist you or teach you how to put it together.  No distractions and all meals included - you can't get a better deal than that!!!!

Today was Sit & Sew and as you all know lunch is included.  I am always racking my brains for what to serve and yesterday, being my day off, I did just that....  About midnight I finally came up with an idea and with a little help from an old recipe book I was able to finalize the menu.  The girls were so impressed that I decided to share the "recipe", especially the dressing with all of you.  This really makes for a nice summer salad - no cooking involved unless you add the chicken.....(however, you can get pre-cooked chicken at the supermarkets these days - so it is possible to do no cook).

Okay - here goes....

Greek Salad with Chicken and Mint Vinaigrette

6 cups assorted salad greens

2 cups cut-up cooked chicken

1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese

1 medium tomato, cut into wedges

1/2 medium seedless cucumber cut lengthwise and into slices

1 small green bell pepper, coarsely chopped

2 medium green onions, sliced

12 Kalamatta or large pitted ripe olives

Prepare salad ingredients in large bowl.  Toss with vinaigrette.

Serves 4

Mint Vinaigrette

3 tbsp. lemon juice (I use a whole lemon)

1-1/2 tsps chopped fresh mint leaves

1/2 tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

1 small clove garlic, finely chopped

Shake all ingredients in titghtly covered container.  (I use the Magic Bullet which really mixes it well and draws out all the flavour from the juices - if you have a small blender - that will work too!)

I served it with warmed bread and butter and it really was delicious!  The best part of course, was it took less than 1/2 hour to prepare.  So quick, easy, no cook - who could ask for anything better on a humid day!

Enjoy this recipe and check for more on our blog - I'm pretty sure this is not the first time I've posted one.....

Happy Quilting!

Jo-Ann

As usual.....

....time flies!  It seems I turn around and two weeks have gone by already!  I won't even begin to try to remember the last time I posted on my "personal" blog.

I decided to take a few moments on this quiet Saturday afternoon to post a few words.....

The quilt below is one of the fabulous Valentine Bargello quilts from Carolyn's class in April.  Sandy chose to do hers in neutrals and it really came out beautiful, thought I'd share it with all of you. 

 The quilt below is from our April Mystery Quilt - Marlene chose a gorgeous Lilac fabric she didn't want to cut up with two contrasts and it really came out beautiful.  I like hers better than mine and I wrote the pattern!!! 

 Here we are last Friday - redecorating again - NOT!  I came in last Friday morning during that vicious rain only to find the front of the store flooded by 3 roof leaks - lovely!  Most of it has been fixed but there is still one leak in the front.....I'll have to celebrate once it's all back to normal!  Maybe a SALE!!!!

Tonight from 6:00 until 9:00 P.M., Carolyn is teaching Serendipity and I decided I would finally take a class!  It's a Saturday evening and I don't really have to do much to prepare so......I thought I would have some fun too!

I've always loved this piece and Carolyn makes it look so easy!  Sometimes when I'm sitting in front of the TV I don't really feel like knitting or hand-piecing or applique so why not find yet another addiction!!!!!  You'll have to look on my blog though for any progress, at least until it's done and wait until you see what I found in my stash at home - HORRORS!!!!  Who knew I had so much yarn......Class starts at 6:00 if you feel like getting out of the house tonight.....

Happy Quilting!

Jo-Ann